I'm lucky enough to have known and worked with Rachael Bland for a long time. I've always known that she's incredibly talented, warm and funny. But what I've learnt over the past 18 months or so is how incredibly gifted she is at talking about things that most people would shy away from. Rach has talked about her cancer and how it has affected her and her family. But she's also educated thousands of people about the disease through her raw and honest blog and the BBC 5 live podcast "You, Me and the Big C". She's made strangers feel as if they're a close friend, made people laugh when they've just been given bad news and reassured them as they start chemo. I really believe that she has helped change the way people talk about and approach cancer. And typically, she's done it all with her usual grace and flair. I've learnt a lot, cried a lot but laughed even more. After getting the news that her cancer is incurable she's now on an immunotherapy clinical trial. She is as ever being realistic; she describes it as a "dire situation" and feels "a bit like a grenade with the pin out". So we want to give her a break and a chance to go away and spend some time with husband Steve and young son Freddie.

If you know Rachael, have heard any of the podcasts or read her blog, please donate some money to help us send them on a break. With your generous help, we'll be able to give a wonderful person and her caring family a much-needed and deserved holiday that they'll always remember.